Neighborhood Variation in Adolescent Alcohol Use: Examination of Socioecological and Social Disorganization Theories

Objective: Risk factors for adolescent alcohol use are typically conceptualized as individual and interpersonal level factors; however, these factors do not fully explain adolescent drinking behavior. We used a socioecological model to examine the contribution of neighborhood factors in a risk and promotive model of adolescent alcohol use among urban high school youth (N = 711; 52% female; 82% African American; M = 18 years old).

Method: Using a multilevel model, we considered the role of neighborhood disadvantage on youth alcohol use, after accounting for risk (e.g., peer and parental substance use) and promotive factors (e.g., social support and participation in prosocial activities).

Results: Peer alcohol use and peer support were associated with more alcohol use, and maternal support was negatively associated with alcohol use. Despite significant variation at the neighborhood level, neighborhood disadvantage was not directly associated with adolescent drinking.

Conclusions: Our study contributes to a mixed body of literature on social context and adolescent health. Although our research highlights the importance of interpersonal relationships, we found no support for neighborhood influences. We conclude with future directions for research examining the link between adolescent drinking and neighborhood contexts.